Keyonte George (Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports)
The Toronto Raptors need to pick a direction — rebuilding or competing for the playoffs. Who they take in the NBA Draft could help either way.
The Raptors are in a very weird spot. Instead of rebuilding, they traded a first-round pick to the Spurs for Jakob Poeltl at the deadline last year, when it seemed like the days of their post-Kawhi Leonard core were over.
Instead, they head into the summer with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr becoming free agents (they each have a player option they will most likely decline) and the other two parts of their core heading toward free agency the following season (Pascal Siakam and O.G Aunonby). This team should probably be heading towards a rebuild but instead, they are gonna go into the summer with their core on its last legs.
This will be a very interesting summer for the team. It is expected that Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr have played their last days in Toronto. Still, it would not be shocking if the Raptors are able to get assets in a sign and trade, as they have done this with Kyle Lowry in the past. But the No. 13 pick in the NBA Draft is their best chance to add young talent around Scottie Barnes and point themselves toward whatever is next.
Perfect NBA Draft picks for the Raptors: 3. Keyonte George
A perfect draft selection for the Raptors is Keyonte George, a prolific backcourt scorer and creator. He may not become a star and his efficiency numbers raise the question of whether he is good enough to be the primary option on a good team. But he averaged 15.3 points on a steady diet of tough shots and there’s no doubt he’ll score at the next level. Improving his shot selection and putting more shooters around him should help with his field goal and 3-point percentage.
The Raptors traded their pick for next year (top six protected) in order to add a solid center in Jakob Poetl. Therefore, if the Raptors want to try and win in the short-term, selecting Keyonte George might be the move.